10 th International Research/Expert Conference “Trends in the Development of Machinery and Associated Technology” TMT 2006, Barcelona-Lloret de Mar, Spain, 11-15 September, 2006 TOTAL LIFE-CYCLE CONSIDERATIONS IN PRODUCT DESIGN FOR SUSTAINABILITY: A FRAMEWORK FOR COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION I.S. Jawahir O.W. Dillon, Jr. K.E. Rouch Kunal J. Joshi Anand Venkatachalam Israd H. Jaafar University of Kentucky Lexington, KY 40506 USA ABSTRACT This paper presents a new framework for comprehensively evaluating the sustainability content of a product through Product Sustainability Index (PSI) in terms of all three components of sustainability (economy, environment and society) over its total life-cycle (pre-manufacturing, manufacturing, use, post-use). This method is useful in comparing various competitive products of the same family. This technique uses a visual representation of PSI to give an overview of the product’s inherent and built- in sustainability levels in a simple and effective manner. Keywords: Product Sustainability Index (PSI), total life-cycle, sustainability evaluation 1. INTRODUCTION Traditional product design and manufacturing methods are based on a range of product characteristics such as functionality, performance, cost, time-to-market, etc. Product design and manufacture in the 21 st century will require a greater integration of life-cycle data, sustainable product/process designs and their implementation in the manufacture of innovative engineered products. This will apply to industrial and consumer products, both in high volumes and small varieties, and in low volumes and large varieties. In particular, the design and manufacturing practices for next-generation of manufactured products need to undergo major changes from traditional approaches to include concerns that span the entirety of the traditional life-cycle, and ultimately from the perspective of multiple life-cycles toward a (near) perpetual product/material life. Novel design methodologies and innovative manufacturing techniques must be developed to simultaneously address traditional characteristics and life-cycle issues including the following major objectives: • Reduction of manufacturing costs • Reduction of product development time • Reduction of material use • Reduction of energy consumption • Increased operational safety • Enhanced societal benefits • Reduction of industrial waste • Repair, reuse, recovery and recycling of used products/materials • Consideration of environmental concerns • Education and training of workforce • Increased product and process innovation 1